Dr. Zaius

I still remember four scenes in The Planet Of The Apes movie when it appeared in movie theaters in the late 1960s.

The first is when the Apes first appeared capturing the wild humans.  The second is when one of the astronauts is stuffed and put on display in a museum.  

The third is when Charlton Heston as astronaut Taylor utters the famous line” Get you dam dirty apes hands off of me!’  

The fourth is when Taylor discovers that The Planet Of The Apes is actually earth in the future when he sees the half-buried Statue Of liberty.

Of all the Ape characters the scientist Dr, Zaius was and is one of my favorites.

Sideshow Collectibles recreated the Dr. Zaius in perfect 12-inch articulated form its The Planet Of The Apes series of figures.

The Dr. Zaius figure comes in a Sideshow’s flip lid display box.  All sides are decorated with photos of figure and on the back of the box is a short description of the Dr. and the first Apes film.

Small photos of other character figures are also on the back of the box.

On the inside of the flip lid is a more comprehensive explanation of The Planet Of The Apes film.  Opposite of it is the figure and accessory area.

All are shielded by a clear plastic sheet for protection and display.  Sideshow cleverly made the edges of the paper that holds the plastic irregular mirroring the feel of the movie.

The figure and accessories (including a The Planet Of The Apes base and support wire) are held securely in place by a form fitting plastic cocoon and wires.

Dr. Zaius is fashioned after the appearance of a baboon.

His long hair, beard and skin are light brown of color with a slight twinge of red.

His facial features include a large muzzle area, deep set and wise eyes, a heavy brow and a small upturned nose.

His hands are of the same color and are pre-postioned to hold the sacred scroll and scroll tube with wooden handle, miniature statue of an ape with scrolls and standing by a rock table and has personal walking stick.

Dr. Zauis’ cloths are the same color as his skin.  

He wears a deep brown undergarment, a large open front coat with leather shoulders decorated in ape symbols and pants that allow his hairy, hand-like feet to go bare.  The pant bottoms are held in place by small straps that fit over the arch of his feet.

His feet rest upon leather foot-pads.

Sculpt work is impressive especially Dr. Zaius’ face and eyes and the stitching and details on the clothing are in scale and well done.

The figure poses easily under the loose clothing.  Clothing wrinkles and folds appear natural and do not bind when moved with the figure.

Victor and Valentino: Folk Art Foes

What do you get when you team-up two half-brothers and place them in supernatural predicaments?  You wind up with some of the wildest, wackiest and way out adventures where ghosts, legends and other Mesoamerican folklore come to life.

Somehow they manage to stumble, fumble and bumble their way through each encounter and come out on top.

Of course much of their encounters could have been stopped cold in their tracks if it wasn’t for the fact that the brothers caused them in the first place.

In the Victor and Valentino: Folk Art Foes, Cartoon Network/Warner Bros. DVD collection, the mischievous brothers Victor and Valentino manage to survive a whole season of supernatural shenanigans.

Throw grandma and their fire-breathing Chihuahua Ponchi into the mix, in the small town of Monte Macabre during summer break, and there’s no telling what will happen.

Portal after portal release various ghoulies, ghosts, demi-gods and a plethora of phantasms and its up to Victor and Valentino to stop them by whatever means necessary.

Join the brothers, and some of their way-out friends, as they defend their small town and mankind from folklore that come to life.

It’s adventures filled with wonder and weirdos.

Peanuts My Busy Books

Hail! Hail! The gang is all here!  

Join Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the whole Peanuts gang in Phidal’s Peanuts My Busy Books that includes a storybook, 12 figurines and a playmat.

I’ve always been a big fan of Peanuts.  Although I’m not quite old enough to have read it when it first came out in 1950 (I was born in 1953) I do remember ‘reading’ it when I was about five years old.

It was a big deal back then to read the Sunday Funnies and Peanuts was one of my favorites.

I continued to read Peanuts until its creator Charles Schulz passed away in 2000.  The strip is still being published in newspapers and strip collection books are still being published.  I have several.

The Peanuts My Busy Book is designed for young readers.  Still, It’s one of the neatest Peanuts publications in my collection.

The heavy, glossy paper stock the book is made out of is perfect for young kids and with its flip lid, numerous strip pages inside and extras make it a great Peanuts collectible.

Besides the strip reprints the book also contains 12 small Peanuts figures of Lucy, Linus, Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Woodstock, and Woodstock along with several other figures and familiar objects.

All are colorfully painted, look identical to their 2D cousins and make for great play on the included heavy plastic playmat.  The playmat depict several familiar scenes from the Peanuts strip

All are protected by a slip cover piece of clear plastic with the figurines in one cubby hole and the playmat in another.

The collection of strips, playmat and figurines make for a clever way for kids to see Peanuts in 3D.

Marvel Spotlight and Iron Fist

Mention The Uncanny X-Men and the name John Byrne is sure to pop up.

After all, he and writer Chris Claremont created some of the best string of X-Men stories ever seen in comic books.

Their combined talents introduced elements to the X-Men mythos and Marvel Universe that still reverberate today.

But, did you know that John actually drew the X-Men before he became the artist of The Uncanny X-Men?

Before John became a household name and megastar penciller he worked on several second-tier titles for Marvel Comics.

Iron Fist was one such title.

In the title’s 15th issue John had the opportunity to draw the X-Men facing off against Iron Fist.

It’s a real kick getting to see John tackle the X-Men.  It’s easy to see why he would soon be assigned the penciling chores on the X-Men when artist Dave Cockrum left the title.

Another future superstar artist was also testing his penciling skills on various Marvel titles.

Artist Frank Miller provided the pencils for Marvel Spotlight On Captain Marvel issue #8.  Assisting him was inker Bruce Patterson and writer Mike W. Barr.

Take a close look and you can spot Miller’s characteristic page layouts, unique pencils and knack for telling a story.

Both Iron Fist #15 and Marvel Spotlight #8 deserve to be collectors’ items as they showcase the early artwork of two industry giants.  

Katana Kata-An Indie-Souls Like Game

Your master has died.  For years you’ve trained in the deadly martial arts both with your body and with weapons.

Someone has to pay and you set out on a quest to find your master’s killer.

Along the way you travel to temples, small villages, residences and wherever else the trail of revenge leads you.

You practice your deadly skills preparing for the next bloody encounter with assassins, martial artists and weapon experts.  All of you master’s apprentices who betrayed him must die.

You fight, you win, you die, but along the way you master new skills, obtain new weapons and become more and more deadly.

Martial arts can be learned, honing those skills takes time and in Katana Kata you learn and grow as you go

Slashing, stabbing, kicking, jabbing-whatever it takes-you carve a bloody path to your prey.

Katana Kata, from Stas Shostak and publisher Samustai, offers stunning graphics, smooth scene transitions, easy to master controls and intense one-on-one combat.

The action shits from scene after scene with each setting faithfully recreating the look and feel of an Oriental environment.  

Realistic lighting, misty and foggy atmospheres, heavy shadows and expertly designed buildings and settings allow your figures to interact in a full 3-dimensional world.

Weapons break and shatter and its up to you to come up with creative ways to use them as you carve a bloody path through each level.

Game play is smooth, seamless and numerous scene transitions make the game challenging and exciting.  Enemies anticipate your moves, multiple adversaries tax your abilities and unexpected maneuvers keeps your wits sharp and your defenses on guard.

On the move or in motion you can never let down your guard and teach you to anticipate danger around every corner and in every situation.

Numerous environments affect your game play such as range of sight, high and low ground and shadow or light.

Regardless of the conditions, number of foes or the weapons available your quest for revenge moves forward.  Even death will not slow your pace.

Katana Kata, the game will hit PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch at the end of February 2021.

A Nightmare On Elm Street Freddy Krueger

The moment he premiered in Nightmare On Elm Street the disfigured, burned face, fedora wearing, red and black stripe shirt wearing and razor glove brandishing Freddy Krueger became a modern horror classic.

Sideshow Collectibles created a 12-inch action figure of Freddy that has become a much sought after classic.

This is the first Freddy Krueger 12-inch figure produced by Sideshow.  More would follow.

Freddy comes packaged in a flip lid box with a full color photo of Freddy’s face on the cover partially hidden by the four blades of his gloved hand.

Inside Freddy is safe and sound in his plastic form-fitting cocoon and tie down wire straps and is seen behind a clear plastic sheet of plastic for viewing (or protection from Freddy!).  A single sheet of tissue paper protects the plastic sheet.

The fully articulated, 12-inch Freddy Krueger figure looks as horrific as its namesake does.

The face of the figure looks like all of its skin has been burnt off exposing the raw musculature underneath.

Freddy leers maniacally with his small craggy teeth all exposed.

His leer pulls at the flesh of his face giving it a twisted, taunt look.

The nose is bent down and slightly crooked and Freddy’s eyes stare menacingly from deep inside his swollen fleshy deep eye sockets.  

His bald skull is scarred and winkled with scars and burnt flesh.  Both ears are little more that flesh attached to bone and muscle.  

The scarring extends down to his neck and chest.

The figure wears a broad red and black strip shirt that is frayed at the bottom and wrists.  It hangs loosely on the figure and hugs Freddy neck at the top.

He wears dark brown trousers and black, laced shoes.

The left hand of Freddy is bare and shows scars and bony with little flesh and muscle covering the bones.

His right hand wears his black glove with long silver blades on each finger. Freddy's flesh shows through the palm of the glove.

Included with the figure is his dark brown and worn fedora hat.

The figure’s sculpt is nicely done with careful attention given to Freddy’s frightening features and scarred hands and neck.  Color application recreates the burnt and scarred coloring of Freddy’s face and body and the silver application to the blades emulate real steel.

Clothing stitching is precise and in scale.  The clothing falls naturally over the figure and moves smoothly and easily over the figure when it is posed.

Forkanife

A knife and a fork: simple everyday kitchen utensils.  They’re nothing special.  Wrong!

Have you even thought what life would be like without a knife and a fork?  Imagine trying to eat food or cutting a nice juicy steak.  Ever try doing either exclusively with a spoon?  Are you starting to get the picture?

We take both of them for granted.

When was the last time you went to a fast food joint only to be given cheap plastic eating utensils?  Try eating with those. The knife breaks half way through trying to cut a piece of meat or something as simple as a piece of fruit or vegetable.

The fork snaps just as you manage to get the food on it and forget the spoon-totally useless!

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a knife and fork made out of metal that you can take with you no matter wherever you go?  Better yet-what if they fold up nice and neat, come in a package together and slip easily into you pocket, purse, glove compartment or wherever else you want them?

Have I got a surprise for you.

Cold4ged Inc. has the perfect solution.

Introducing its new knife and fork combination: Forkanife.

Each set is made of steel, folds neatly in half, comes two to a slide-in plastic container and is easy to use, carry and store anywhere.

The Sport blue slide-in container has a serrated knife and a four prong fork that clicks open and locks into place with the push of a small tab.  When you’re finished using them, clean them off, gentle push and they both swing back into their slotted handles at half the length.

Need a knife for spreading peanut butter, jelly, butter or some other soft food?  Choose the Travel black slip in case with a combination four prong fork and a rounded butter knife with a small serrated edge.

Push, snap in place, finish your task, clean them off, and flip back into place and presto! you’re done.

The Forkanife is a handy, convenient, easy to use combo that stands up to repeated use, is great for camping, travel and on the go.

Plastic doesn’t cut it but the metal Forkanife does.

Rick and Morty The Complete Seasons 1-4

They’re back!  Just when you thought it was safe to ply the space ways and alternate realities Warner Bros. Rick and Morty are back in the brand new Rick and Morty The Complete Season 1-4 Blu-ray/Digital Code Combo collection.

In this new collection the last season (4) aired is also included.  See my previous review of Seasons 1-3 to catch up:  https://bamcc-bam.blogspot.com/2019/01/rick-and-morty.html.

Included with the collection is a poster.

Here’s a just a few of the highlights:

A love potion.
A vision of a future death.
Raiding an alien tomb.
Morty get a dragon pet.
An anti-gravity Jerry.
A snake astronaut.
The Story Train.
A super weapon.
An alien acid vat.
A sentient planet.
Beth's clone leads a rebellion.

Piqued your interest?  That’s just a small taste of what you can expect in Season Four.  That and a lot of other crazy stuff that only Rick and Morty can stumble into, somehow manage to escape and of course: drag their family into.

For some of the wildest adventures imaginable pick up the Seasons 1-4 collection today. Look for loads of commentaries, featurettes, a Sketch Gallery, production secrets and much, much more.

Freezing Chains

Is it cold in here or is it just me?

Opening up the new Konami Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Structure Deck Freezing Chains just sent a chill up my spin.

Someone turn up the heat because it just about to get cold in here!  Not only has YGO got chilly it’s also bound up in chains.  Imagine being both freezing and bound.

Get ready for sub-zero game play as some of YGO’s cold blooded creatures get ready to duke it out.  It’s icicles, cold blasts and dropping temperatures as players bundle up, put on their gloves and mittens and prepare for a winter blast like never before.

Just look at what you get:

1 Preconstructed Deck of 46 cards
        
6 Ultra Rares
3 Super Rares
37 Commons
1 Double-sided Playmats/Dueling Guide

Bundle up, it freezing out there!

The New Teen Titans #13, #14 and #15

One of my all time favorite Silver Age DC Comic Book titles is The Doom Patrol.

DC Comics decided to kill off all the members of The Doom Patrol back in the Silver Age.  It was a bold move at the time. The Patrol sacrificed their lives to save thousands.

For a number of years no Doom Patrol could be found, until November 1981 in issue issues 13, 14 and 15 of The New Teen Titans by George Perez, and Marv Wolfman.

In the story Garth (Beast Boy) searches for any surviving Doom Patrol members.  He discovers Cliff Steele (Robotman) stacked to a tree in a jungle.

From there things kick into high gear as The New Teen Titans get involved and come face-to-face with some of the Doom Patrol’s old enemies and an old enemies of their own.

As good as the New Teen Titans storylines had been and the quality of Perez’s artwork was beginning with issue #13 things jumped into high gear.

In my opinion issue’s 13, 14 and 15 marked a turning point in the quality of the stories and art of The New Teen Titans.

Secure in the popularity of The New Teen Titans’ title and confident in their ability to tell interesting stories complemented by great art, the team of Perez and Wolfman went at it full speed.

From that point on the stories became bolder, more relevant and no longer relying exclusively on fisticuffs but more on good storytelling with fleshed out characters and situations.

The creative team delved into what made The Teen Titans the team they were.

Each member was fully realized, as were their antagonists.

The New Teen Titans continued to grow in popularity and in turn the DC Universe as a whole changed.  No longer was DC Comics the ‘corporate’ publisher.  Instead it took on a new, young and fresh vitality that echoed in all of its titles.  

DC began to take chances and it turned out some of the most spectacular successes of its long printing history.

And all of this is credited to a small group of teenagers who dared to challenge the status quo.

Marvel Spider-Man Miles Morales The Art Of The Game

Several years back when Marvel Comics introduced Miles Morales as an alternate reality Spider-Man, after Peter Parker was slain, fan reaction was mixed.

Some loved the idea of a different Spider-Man, some did not.

Those that loved it won out and Miles Morales has become a hot hit.  Along the way an entire gambit of alternate realities (dubbed the Spider-Verse) populated by various Spider-Men and Women has been introduced.

Miles Morales continues to gain in popularity and as a result he starred in his own computer animated movie, has his own comic book series, showed up on TV and it appears a live action character of Miles will soon premiere in movies.

Recently a new Miles Morales Spider-Man video game has popped up and fans of Miles and video gamers are thrilled by its complexity, amazing graphics, and fleshed out characters and great storyline.

Titan Books and author Matt Ralphs present the Marvel Spider-Man Miles Morales The Art Of The Game book that is so jam-packed with color art that it will make your head spin.  Talk about eye candy!

Inside readers (and especially video game lovers) are treated to character designs (good guys and bad guys), various environments, equipment, scenarios, concept and completed art and so much more.

Pages are brimming with beautiful art and screen captures, action scenes and everything else associated with designing such a massive and complicated video game world.

We tend to take video games for granted but the amount of work that goes into a video game such as this is massive.  Every single element from something as simple as a blade of  grass to cityscapes must be designed from scratch.

Imagination is number one in designing such a game.  A huge staff of video game designers, programmers, artists, mappers, lighting experts, engineers, architectural artists and dozens of other highly skilled artists and technicians made Marvel Spider-Man Miles Morales The Art Of The Game possible.

Beautifully designed with a gorgeous Spider-Man in action rendering on its slip cover, the oversize hardbound book stars one of the world’s most recognizable superheroes but it also showcases the incredible scoop of creating this video game and gives credit to those who made it possible.

The amount of detail is amazing, as is every facet of this game.  

As a graphic designer I can't help but to be impressed by the game and by the book that chronicles its creation.

Look What's New! Diamond Previews, March 2021

Marvel Vehicles

Spider-Man has his webs, Thor his hammer, Captain Marvel flies (as do a lot of other Marvel Comics heroes) and some swim from location to location.

But what about the other heroes?  How do they get around?

In Insight Editions new book by Alex Irvine: Marvel Vehicles Owner’s Workshop Manual, readers are given a first-hand look at their different modes of transportation.

The book looks back over the decades to various versions of famous vehicles like the Avenger's Quinjet or the X-Men’s Blackbird.  There’s even an examination of the Spider-Mobile!

The book is broken down into the following categories:

X-Vehicles
Helicarriers
Aircraft
Gliders
Spaceships
Cars & Vans
Motorcycles

Each section provides full color art, schematics and lots of fun and informative text.  It also includes some historical background on the vehicles along with their importance and relevance to Marvel Comics characters.

Think of it as mechanics’ guide to the coolest land, air, sea and space vehicles ever imagined!

Spider-Man and Deadpool

Before you have a coronary the cover of Marvel Comics'  Amazing Fantasy #15 seen is not of the original issue. 

It is a reproduction of the original that was given away free in the color comic’s section of newspapers back in the early 2000’s promoting the Spider-Man movies.

A number of the early Spider-Man issues were produced and remarkably many are now going for respectable prices.  Currently an issue #1 costs about $10.

If you can’t afford the six to seven figure price of an original mint copy then this reprint is just the ticket.

What can be said about Deadpool The Merc With A Mouth that hasn’t been said?

After a few guest appearances Deadpool finally received his own series in 1997.

The premiere issue was oversized and featured the art of fan favorite Ed McGuinness.

Joe Kelly provided the dialogue and stories and is to be credited for fine tuning Deadpool’s sarcastic sense of humor and sometimes bizarre behavior.

It’s one of the few comic books stating it is a collector’s item that actually lives up to the hype.

A raw copy sells for about $35 and a slabbed copy graded a 9.6 goes for around $100.  Prices continue to rise.

Alexia

Sometimes a toy line comes out based on a movie property that is just plain scary.  Palisades Toys Resident Evil CODE: Alexia is one such toy line.  

Four figures came in the set.  I’ll be reviewing Alexia Ashford, the daughter of the original recipient of the T-Virus.

Starting with the packaging. This is a clever piece of plastic packaging.

The figure and accessories are encased in a plastic cocoon and covered by extruded piece of plastic with a small side panel displaying the other figures in the set with the enclosed figure panel printed darker and more predominant.

Behind the small panel is the tailpiece that can be attached to the figure.

Along the top are the large words “RESIDENT EVIL” printed in red.

On the lowered right corner is a Alexia name tag.  

The back of the hanging bubble pack is a photo of the mutated Alexia Ashford, along with small spot photos of the other Series 2 figures in the set.  A brief description about Alexia is also provided.

The Alexia figure is just over 6-inches tall.  Her skin is primarily light.   gray/green.  The figure is nude with its more private parts covered by green plant matter of vine and foliage.  The foliage covers her right shoulder, arm and hand and most of her hip area and left leg and foot.

Coloration is striated in black, deep green and green.

Her face is almost entirely covered by her plant hair that hangs in clumps.  Only her yellow eye and green lips show.

An additional pop-on head is included that has long hair that which is swept up away from her face.  The right side of her face is plant matter.  Her remaining face peeks through.

Also included with the figure are two large wings of brown and green that look similar to dragonfly wings.  They attach to her back by two pop-in balls.  The support structure of the wings are plant matter, with thorns-that also cover part of her body, and the wings themselves are thin brown tree bark.

A long serpentine tail of plant matter in gray, green and brown can be attached to her lower back.  It is segmented as if prehensile.

A Resident Evil stand is included with dull red letters against a red/brown brick background.

The figure is articulated with swivel, ball and socket and hinge articulation points.

Color separation is clean with no rough edges and distinct areas easily identified.

The sculpting of the figure is of high quality and is hihgly creative and cleverly articulated with movement points hidden by bodylines and textures.

It is an extremely impressive figure which is well done and designed.

The Former Herald of Galactus: The Silver Surfer #34

What distinguishes issue #34 of the second series of The Silver Surfer comic book is that is the first time that The Silver Surfer and Thanos meet.

For millennia The Silver Surfer has not slept.

He decides to stop at a nearby planet and catch a few winks.  He dreams of Death and her resurrection of Thanos so he can strike a balance of life in the universe by killing 50% of all living things.

Touted as the ‘1st Issue Of A New Era Of Greatness’ the issue lives up to the hype in a big way.

It spotlights the return of Thanos, a true revelation of Death and an epic confrontation between good and evil.

Up to this point The Silver Surfer had always been a tragic, stoic and honorable character.  He primarily dealt with personal struggles and demons and made for a sounding board about the state of mankind.

In this one issue The Surfer is transformed into a beacon of good, a symbol of what is right with the universe and a personification of the light side of existence as opposed to the dark side.

Jim Starlin provides a powerful story and artist Ron Lim turns out some great art packed with symbolism and disturbing images.

This comic book represents the baptism of The Silver Surfer into the battle between good and evil.

From its epic cover to its last panel revealing Thanos the story delivers on every page.  It deserves to be a classic and a true turning point inn the life of of The Silver Surfer and a key event in the Marvel Comics Universe.

Currently a raw copy will cost you about $15 and slabbed round $75 in near mint condition

Classic Horror! Friday The 13th Part VII-The New Blood

Creepy-that’s the best word to describe the Jason figure in Sideshow Collectibles Friday The 13th Part VII-The New Blood boxed figure.

A large picture of Jason’s hockey mask decorates the cover of the flip lid box. Inside the figure and accessories are nestled in their clear plastic cocoon with a clear plastic viewing sheet.

By far the most striking features of the figure is Jason’s head and face.

His dead gray skin covers 3/4th of his head.  The skin is pulled back over his nose making it appear as two nose holes as seen on a skull.

His puffed and misshapen kips partially cover his large white teeth that are crooked and misshapen.  

The left side of his cheek is open revealing the row of teeth beneath and the left side of his skull shows thorough at the left eye socket sans an eyeball.

Pock marks and scars cover his skin and his malevolent right eye stares out from under his heavy brow.

Two large scars run the full length from his hollow eye socket across the back of his skull.

Like Jason the figure is scarred, decaying and in several areas the bones underneath the skin are showing through, predominantly on the hands and feet.

The figure is dressed in a torn and tattered pair of green/gray pants and shirt.  The shirt has several buttons still remaining and has torn and shredded pockets with flaps and cuffs with buttons,

 The frayed trousers hang loosely in shreds over Jason’s black boots.

Included with Jason is his white hockey mask with red forehead symbol.  It is pierced by holes and is shattered on its left side.  When worn Jason’s skeletal face is seen through the shattered and missing part of the mask.  It fits snuggly over the head of the figure.

Jason comes with several weapons including a bloody axe with wooden handle, a metal spike, a large machete with a black handle and a curved sickle with riveted wooden handle.

The figure’s hands are made to hold each weapon.

Also included is a circular black base with the Friday The 13th Part VII The New Blood logo and a support wire for the figure.

The figure is also held in place by several strips of clear plastic.

The most striking features of the figure are its face, hands and feet.  The weapons are in scale, look completely authentic and Jason’s trademark mask looks just as terrifying in miniature form as its larger version.

The figure poses easily with or without its stand, moves smoothly in its tattered cloths and once posed with its weapons looks very imposing.

Fearless and Fantastic!

Superheroines have always existed in comic books almost from the beginning of the Age of Heroes.

While for decades superheroes dominated the medium, slowly and methodically woman superheroines have come into their own.

In fact, they are some of the most popular characters around and have garnered their own titles, TV shows and movies.

Marvel Comics (ever since its creation in 1961 beginning with Fantastic Four #1) made it a point to showcase women as more than mere damsels in distress.

In Fearless and Fantastic! Female Super Heroines Save The World readers are introduced to the Mighty Women of Marvel!

A special personal comment: While I applaud the depiction of strong independent women the comic book industry has the tendency to overplay everything.

Marvel and DC in particular show strong women but often downplay the feminine side of the gender.

It’s one thing to be strong and independent it’s quite another thing when that independence is a detriment to and a put down of the opposite gender.

There’s nothing wrong with a woman character being strong and courageous while at the same time being compassionate, tender and fully feminine.

Despite what might be said in the media there are differences between the genders.  That does not make one better than the other.

Men simply cannot think and feel like a woman and the reverse is true.

Identity politics delivers a mixed message.  The truth is if an individual is not happy with whom they are no amount of surgery, counseling or SJW will change that.

Where does it say that certain characteristics are exclusive to certain genders?

Back to the book.  It is a slightly larger than normal paperback filled with color art of several dozen super heroines of the Marvel Universe.

Included with each full-page illustration is a short history of the characters and a famous quote from them.

It’s a nice addition to any Marvel Comics fan’s library.

Outlaw and U.S. Marshall

The Old West.  Of all of the historical periods of the United States The Old West has been the most romanticized, written about and made popular.

Novels, movies, TV shows, comic books, toys-The Old West has been memorialized in a plethora of pop culture items.

In the early 2000s the toy company Dusty Trails put out two series of 6-inch action figures.

One of the figures from its Action Series 2 was a U.S. Marshall Tombstone from the Old West.

Subsequently in the Action Series 1 an Old West Outlaw was produced and released.

The Outlaw has minimal articulation.  It’s more of a miniature statue than action figure.

The figure is poised in a shootout position with legs spread, its left arm extend behind it for balance and the right hand set forward with fingers set for brandishing the silver revolver.  

It wears blue/gray pants and jacket with a light blue long sleeve shirt with large buttons and a red bandana around its neck.

The Outlaw also wears a red cloth waistband, a gun holster with a large buckle and slots for bullets, wide leather spat spurs and black boots. 

His face sports a mustache and lower lip beard, deep set eyes, heavy brows, a sharp chin and nose and close cropped black hair.

His jacket is open and furled back as if The Outlaw was shifting to draw and heavy wrinkles and creases are on his pants and other garments denoting extended arm and leg movement.  He wears a black hat with the lid slightly turned upward on its right front.

He comes packaged in a bubble pack with an inner form-fitting cocoon, a large The Outlaw logo, a large photo of the figure from the waist up and a base that looks like a section of an Old West road complete with pebbles and rocks.

Color application is smooth, well defined between flesh and clothing with no slopover edges or missed areas.

The color application, sculpting and plastic cocoon are similar as The Outlaw with the Marshall.

The U.S. Marshall figure stands posed wit hi right arm slightly raised with his left arm more to his side.  Both hands are positioned to hold the twin revolvers that come with the figure.

Dressed a round rimmed hat, a white shirt, red bowtie, dark gray vest with button and a watch fob, a dark gray long coat with silver Marshall badge on it lapel, dark gray trousers with a brown belt/holster with silver buckle and two gun holsters and dusty black boots it makes an imposing figure.

The face has a mustache, is angular, has short crop hair and a long straight nose.

Its long coat appears to be swirled back as if The Marshall is about to fire.  The figure’s legs are spaced with the right leg forward and the left back.

Because it is a Series 2 figure it includes not only a base that looks like a boarded sidewalk but the front of a saloon with twin swinging louvered doors and a partial logo and wood frame with wood slats.

Have Gun-Will Travel

Recently I picked the entire First and Second Seasons on DVD of the classic TV Western Have Gun-Will Travel.

The series starred Richard Boone as the dandy turned investigator/gunslinger that lived in plush hotel in San Francisco. 

He spouted poetry and classic literature and hunted down murderers, etc.

For a price Paladin (as he was known) would contract with individuals to bring criminals to justice or right a wrong.

His calling card was a knight chess piece accompanied by the words Have Gun-Will Travel.

The series could both dramatic and funny.

Occasionally he would fight against his employer if he or she were in the wrong.

During the entire series Paladin’s real name was never revealed.

Running from 1957 to 1962 the series was extremely popular. 

When it ran on TV the series always ranked in the top 10 and in the top three of Westerns (Gunsmoke and Rawhide were the other two).

What made the series so good is that actor Richard Boone had his hand in the production and demanded top rate shows.

It showed. The scripts were thought-provoking, tackled delicate subjects (a daring move considering the time period the show was shown) and it featured a number of appearances by up and coming superstars such as Charles Bronson and many others.

Boone employed an impressive returning cast of actors who could play a wide range of roles.

As was typical at the time many character actors appeared that also guest-starred on other TV series-especially Westerns.

Filmed in black and white the show took advantage of the format to give it a real Old West feel.  

It is by far my favorite Western TV series and each week day beginning at 8AM I watch two episodes back-to-back.

The collected First and Second Seasons episodes from CBS/Paramount also include character profiles and some interesting episode information.

The series still holds up today almost 60 years after it left the air.

Credit Card Survival Kits

It’s easy to become complacent and comfortable in our modern society.

Safe in our houses or apartments, with heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer we thrive on artificial environments never concerned about the weather outside.

Most of us have plenty of food, water, nice cloths, all the conveniences of modern life and more.  We’ve become fat and sassy and far too entrenched in our ways.

But, what if that were not so?

What if you found yourself in the middle of nowhere with no way to contact the outside world?  What if your vehicle breaks down, your bike develops a flat, you get lost hiking or camping or worse yet should a natural disaster strike.  Are you ready for a quick evacuation?

It’s so easy to settle in and forget that conditions can change in an instant.

I believe in being prepared as much as possible.  That’s why I carry an emergency survival backpack in the trunk of my car, a miniature survival kit when I’m biking and a small kit in my wallet.

I never take for granted the conveniences and comforts God has provide my family and I.

I like being prepared and that's why I got excited when Readyman provided several of their wallet size survival/emergency cards for me to review.

Carry in them your wallet, purse, put them in you glove compartment, carry them in your bicycle repair kit and take them with you when you're camping or hiking.  It’s a comforting feeling when you don’t feel totally helpless and at least stand a chance of surviving.

Readyman provided five samples.  All are made in America, are constructed of 301 Stainless Steel and are extremely light.  Be careful because some edges are extremely sharp.

Individual components are easy to detach and use.  I suggest you keep a small container or bag to keep them in once you detach them.

They’re rugged, reliable and a great value for the money-just under $13 each. 

The Medic Kit contains the following tools:

2 Tweezers
4 Needles (2 strait and 2 hook)
3 Bandage & Cloth Clips
6 Safety Pins
2 Serrated Blade
1 Tick Fork / Nail Scraper
1 File

The Dog Tag Survival Card includes:

    2 Double Fishing Hooks
    2 Long Fishing Hooks
    2 Arrow Heads
    1 Fishing Lure
    1 Band Saw

The  Fisherman's Survival Card includes 22 different tools:

9 Single Hooks (Small Medium and Large)
3 Double Hooks (Small Medium and Large)
1 Treble Hook
1 Quad Hook
5 different Lures
1Fish Scaler
1 Saw

The Hostage Escape Card (Kidnap Escape) lets you defeat handcuffs, cut through rope, tape, wood, zip-ties and even pick locks.  Readyman has a video for its members to watch about picking locks and other escape procedures.  Just look at what you get:

1 Saw
1 Handcuff Shim
1 Rake
1 Tension Wrench

The Wilderness Survival Card is the ultimate set of tools and devices that keeps you in control and ready for the worst.  Here’s what you get:

9 Fishhooks
5 Arrows
4 Snare locks
1 Awl
2 Sewing Needles
3 Saw blades
1 Tweezers

I plan on keeping each set with me wherever I travel.  All are sheathed in clear plastic and with the handy zip bag provided I can keep them all together.

Be prepared, be safe and get Readyman.

Robby The Robot and The Iron Giant

Two of my all-time favorite science fiction movies are Forbidden Planet and The Iron Giant.

Forbidden Planet was released the same year I was born: 1953.  It was a live action movie from MGM and was considered cutting edge and innovative for its time.

Visual and practical effects were extremely well done and for the first time an electronic soundtrack was used.

The story centers around a group of space explorers sent to a distant planet to check in on a scientist and his daughter.  It was a loose interpretation of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest set in outer space.

When they arrived a robot met them: Robby The Robot.

It is estimated that the cost of building the robot took a considerable chunk of the movie’s budget and it shows.

Robby was a technological marvel for the time with working lights, a voice synthesizer, full mobility, with switches and buttons and more. His head swiveled as did his torso and his design was very futuristic.  

So futuristic that it even stands up today.

Goldlox Toys has created a Walmart exclusive Robby The Robot toy that collectors and kids are sure to love.

The Goldlok (with assist by Trendmasters) Robby The Robot is a mechanized marvel.  For only $20 you can own this impressive figure that stands close to 12-inches tall.

Packaged in a colorful open-front, heavy paper stock box Robby is held in place with small plastic wires and is snug in a form-fitting plastic cocoon.

A small strip of plastic extends out from the right of the box stating, ‘Try Me!’.  Push it and Robby sounds off.

A large Forbidden Planet logo cutout is at the bottom of the front and on the sides and back.

On the back is a short synopsis of the film and information about Robby.

Additional photos of the Robby figure demonstrating his functions are also included.

Push the yellow button on Robby’s waist and he spouts phrases and sound effects from the movie and his twin waist lights flash and his voice box modulates in light with his voice.

Inside his clear plastic dome head additional lights flicker. Contacts click and flash and the circular modules of his brain emit a steady light.

Details on the body are first-rate with clear delineation lines between sections.  Robby's body is smooth with few sharp angles.

Robby’s head is a large tapered cone with a clear plastic panel in the front.  Inside are diodes and switches and a light emitting brain of circular components.

The dome fits on a black neck unit with a clear, striated voice box on the front.

The neck swivels on the large chest.

On the side of the ‘head’ are two circular attenna, twin blue sensors and clear segmented ‘ears’.

On the barrel chest are twin front lights and two inset areas that hold the powerful arms-much like a shoulder joint.

The arms have circular shoulder joints that move and rotate when posed. Stationary flanged elbows and three-finger segmented hands also rotate.

The entire torso can twist and move at the waist.

The lower abdomen also has two circular 'inset areas' where the leg ‘hip’ joints attach to them.

The legs consist of three circular sections allowing for movement and with large splayed feet that have wheels underneath them (along with battery compartments) that allow the robot to move when a hidden switch is thrown.

Robby’s body is solid black.  Sculpture details recreate the robot to perfection right down to his highly detailed head and torso.

Articulation points are solid with ease of movement and well hidden.  

Robby is put together solidly with no open gaps or unsightly flashing or loose joints.

It’s an absolutely exact miniature duplicate of the famous robot.  Collectors and kids are sure to love the lights and especially the mobility of the toy.

When activated Robby walks, his legs move back and forth and his torso turns.

It's on of the best recreations of Robby I've ever seen, especially for the price

The Iron Giant was a movie that combined traditional cell animation with the newest animation technology: computer generated animation and effects.

It featured a giant robot discovered by a young boy and they become friends. The robot was damaged and lost most of its memory.
 

Set during the Cold War era the film examines the paranoia of the time.

When the boy is injured the robot converts to a powerful, destructive machine.  Ultimately the robot saves a nearby town from a nuclear attack and sacrifices his life-or so it seems.

Like Robby the Robot, The Iron Giant has a marvelous retro/futuristic design and is considered a classic character and favorite cult movie today loved by fans.

Walmart stocks an exclusive The Iron Giant toy created by Goldlok Toys. It stands over a foot tall.

The large box it comes in is partially open in the front allowing perspective toy buyers to test the ‘Try Me!’ button that activates The Iron Giant’s green light up eyes and one of two sound effects.

The figure is cradled in a plastic form-fitting plastic cocoon with additional plastic straps.

The box features a large cutout The Iron Giant logo on the front with additional logos on the sides and back.

Photos of The Iron Giant toys are on the back demonstrating his various functions.

The figure is mostly gray with some darker gray and black accent areas around the waist, chest, legs and arms.  Surfaces look very angular as one would expect of a robot from that era.

Identical to its large cinema namesake The Iron Giant figure has a dome head with a protruding lower jaw, large circular eyes and a single fin running from its forehead to the back of its head.

A massive chest has arms extending out from underneath shoulder flanges.

The chest cavity opens revealing a large dark gray circular section with a large green light in the middle and a string of lights around its circumference.

When the switch on the back is activated the chest lights up just like the chest weapon the Giant used in the movie.  It also emits threatening sounds.

The hinged chest plates open easily and snaps into place with well-hidden seams.

The two large arms have circular shoulder joints, thin upper arms and large tapered rectangular lower arms.  They remind me of Popeye's forearms.

Four finger hands that twist and turn are on their ends.

The arms move and rotate as does the lower arms and wrists.

The large chest attaches to a recessed waist with a small hip area.

The leg hip joints are oversize and taper into small upper legs and large lower rectangular sectioned lower legs.  

The large flat feet swivel slightly at the ankles when the robot shuffles forward aided by the wheels on its feet.

The batteries are hidden under the feet soles.

Details are spot-on with lots of rivets, recessed and angular sections and with realistic looking articulation.

The joints are fitted to move with no looseness.

Parts fit together snuggly with no gaps, flashing or rough edges.

Details extend to the back as well.

When the chest weapon is activated the eyes of The Iron Giant flash red and when he walks additional sound effects activate.

Both Robby and Iron Giant are very stable when they walk with no tipping over.  Kids can easily activate the walking and other effects.

Both Robby The Robot and The Iron Giant are superbly crafted figures at a great price.  The figures have proven especially popular and are already popping up in the secondary market.  Batteries are included with both figures.

Should you see them in your local Walmart buy them before they are gone.

I plan on displaying mine in my man cave.  I can't wait to show them to my friends.